


The Nerves of a Butler in Training

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Series: Rune Factory Valentine's Day Week (in June!) [1]
Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, Rune Factory Valentine's Week, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:07:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4077235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Vishnal meets Frey is when he goes to wake up her at six o' clock in the morning. </p><p>It's love at first sight, although he doesn't know it at the time.</p><p>[Alternate first meeting.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nerves of a Butler in Training

**Author's Note:**

> Traversing through the RF fanfiction, I found that there was a ficathon going on in February from Tumblr. Being un-social media inclined, I had no idea until now, June, so I'm doing the ficathon now just because I wanted to write some RF fanfic with my favourite bachelor, Vish.
> 
> Credit for prompts to fyeahrunefactory on Tumblr.  
> Credit for RF to XSeed and Marvelous.
> 
> I do not own either.

Vishnal is practically bouncing when Volkanon tells him that the Princess of Norad has arrived to stay in the castle. In the same castle that he lives in himself! But he stops himself from bouncing, because bouncing is definitely not dignified, and he is a butler. A butler in training. He has to be dignified.

He is bouncing on the inside.

He definitely has a spring in his step as he walks down the hallway, giving the Divine Dragon a cheerful greeting along the way. This is his first job. His first job. Just wait until he tells his brothers and sisters!

"Is it a good day, Master Vishnal?" the dragon's voice rumbles, startling him out of his thoughts.

He glances over his shoulder and comes to a stop, and he actually bounces a tiny, _tiny_ bit as he stops. Ventuswill is watching him with her usual unreadable expression, but is that a gleam of humor in her eye? Vishnal sucks in a deep breath and straightens slightly. Get a grip, Vishnal!

"It is, my lady. The Princess of Norad has arrived," he says brightly.

"Yes," Ventuswill replied. "I have met her myself. You are to be her butler, Master Vishnal?"

He nods enthusiastically. "Volkanon assigned both Clorica and I to the Princess in hopes of furthering our training. I will do my very best, Lady Ventuswill," he says with a small bow.

Ventuswill seems to smile, with her eyes. Vishnal decides that he must be seeing things. "Very good," Ventuswill continues. "Best be on your way, then."

Vishnal nods again and bids her farewell, hurrying the rest of the way down the hallway to step into the Princesss's room. He feels a little weird walking into a lady's room uninvited, much less the Princess of Norad's room. But it is his job, and he will see it through.

He doesn't know what he expects when he goes to wake up the Princess - Arthur, Volkanon says, but Vishnal secretly wonders what kind of name that is for a girl? He knows that she had talked to some of the townspeople yesterday, but he had not been one of them. Now he creeps up to the side of her bed; he knows that he needn't creep when he's there to wake her up nonetheless, but he does so anyway.

The Princess is still fast asleep, tucked into the blankets that make up her bed. Her face is soft and round, her eyelashes brushing softly against her slightly pinkened cheeks. She has long, silky hair tied back in twin ponytails, each falling over either one of her shoulders, over the light blue of the night dress that she's wearing.

Vishnal's staring.

 _Wake her up!_ he reminds himself forcefully, and snaps from his stock-still state to step forward. He reaches out to touch her bare shoulder and hesitates. But he completes the circuit, gently placing his hand against her skin to draw her from her sleep.

"Princess," he says gently. "Princess, it's time to be up."

She doesn't wake up immediately. Vishnal figures that, after the day that she'd had yesterday, she probably is exhausted. But there is more to be done, and six o' clock is when wake-up calls are given.

"Princess," he repeats, and shakes her shoulder lightly. "Wake up." He's getting more and more nervous being here, being in her room, hoping that she wakes up soon because his nerves are going to be frayed into nothing if she doesn't-

"Mhphm...

Vishnal breathes out a sigh of relief as the Princess starts to stir. He removes his hand from her shoulder and takes a step back, folding his hands behind his back. "Good morning, Princess."

She looks up at him blearily, eyelids still heavy with sleep.

"I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Vishnal. I'm a butler in training under Mr. Volkanon." He pauses as she sits up, pushing the blankets away. He's lost his train of thought.

"Nice to meet you," she says, and rubs her eyes. "I'm Frey."

This he frowns at. "Mr. Volkanon assured me that your name is Arthur?"

Frey laughs slightly. "I'm not Arthur. I'm not even sure that I'm a Princess." She pushes the blankets away from her feet and swings her legs out of bed. "Thanks for waking me up, Vishnal," she continues, and smiles blindingly up at him.

Vishnal freezes. Looks down at her. Tries to process that her name is Frey, not Arthur - it does suit her better, he thinks - that she might not even be a Princess - she has to be, does she not? - and that she's smiling up at him with the prettiest smile that he's seen in a long time.

"Is there anything else?" Frey asks shortly, and Vishnal realizes that he's been staring _again_.

He inhales sharply as his ears warm. "Nothing at all, Princess. When you have a moment, Mr. Volkanon has told me that Ventuswill has instructed you to step out through that back door." He points, a little shakily, and looks back at her. "There you will find farmland, and my fellow butler in training Clorica to explain further to you."

"Farmland?" Frey looks sleepily to the door and then back at Vishnal. "I'm not a farmer."

"You will be now," Vishnal says with a smile.

"But... if I'm the Princess, should I be farming the land?" Frey asks slowly, looking up at Vishnal as if he holds all the answers.

"We must all do our part," Vishnal replies. "Please rely on me if you need anything, Princess." He offers his hand to her to help her stand before he's consciously aware of it, and he feels the rest of his face go warm after the thought.

"I will," Frey promises cheerfully.

Vishnal takes a steadying breath and takes a step back. "By your leave, Miss Frey," he says quietly, and turns tail to return to his room before his nerves really do get the best of him.

This is gonna be more difficult than he thought.

 


End file.
